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Ryan Johnson
| birth_place = Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada | draft = 36th overall | draft_year = 1994 | draft_team = Florida Panthers | career_start = 1996 }} Ryan Johnson (born Ryan M. Johnson on June 14, 1976) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is now currently a free agent. Playing Career Florida Panthers Ryan was drafted by the Florida Panthers in the second round, 36th overall, of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. He subsequently played two seasons of college hockey with the University of North Dakota. Ryan scored 19 points in 21 games, splitting the 1995–96 season with the Canadian National Team. In his first three seasons with the Panthers, he played with Florida's AHL affiliates, the Carolina Monarchs and the Beast of New Haven. In 1999–2000, Ryan earned a full-time roster spot with the Panthers, but he was traded during that season to the Tampa Bay Lightning with Dwayne Hay in exchange for Mike Sillinger on March 14, 2000. Tampa Bay Lightning Ryan spent one full season with the Lightning, scoring 21 points in 2000–01. On July 10, 2001, he was traded back to the Panthers with a 6th round draft choice (later traded back to Tampa Bay) in 2003 in exchange for Vaclav Prospal. Ryan missed the majority of his first season back in Florida from a head injury suffered on December 22, 2001 against the St. Louis Blues. St. Louis Blues Near the trade deadline of the next season, Ryan was placed on waivers and picked up by the St. Louis Blues on February 19, 2003. He spent four full seasons with the Blues, playing with the Missouri River Otters of the UHL during the 2004–05 NHL lockout. After posting 18 points and leading all forwards in the league in shot blocks with 105 in 2007–08, Ryan became an unrestricted free agent in the off-season. He signed a two-year, $2.3 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks. Vancouver Canucks Playing his first season in Vancouver, Ryan broke a finger on his right hand while blocking a shot in November against the Minnesota Wild. He played with the injury for two games before being pulled from the lineup. It was then revealed that Johnson had also suffered a broken bone in his left foot in the third game of the season, which he had played through for six weeks. After missing 20 games, Ryan returned to the lineup on January 9, 2009 despite still feeling considerable pain in his fractured finger. After completing his first season in Vancouver with 2 goals and 9 points in 62 games, it was revealed that off-season surgery was required for the injured finger. Nearly a month into the 2009–10 season, Ryan was involved in a head-first collision into the end boards in a game against the Detroit Red Wings on October 27, 2009. After chipping the puck into the offensive zone, he lost his balance trying to skate around Detroit defenceman Nicklas Lidstrom and slid heavily into the boards with his shoulder and neck. Ryan was taken off the ice in a stretcher after laying motionless on the ice for several moments. After missing five games with a concussion, Ryan was later sidelined for 12 games in January of 2010 with a broken foot. Ryan played through lingering injuries on both feet until suffering another broken foot while blocking a shot in early April. Limited to 58 games, he recorded a goal and five points. Chicago Blackhawks After not receiving a contract extension from the Canucks, Ryn became an unrestricted free agent. Unsigned to start the 2010–11 season, he was given a professional tryout with the Chicago Blackhawks minor league affiliate, the Rockford Icehogs in December of 2010. Ryan played one game for the Icehogs before signing a one-year deal with the Blackhawks. Immediately recalled after the deal, on December 17, 2010, Ryan played his first game with the Blackhawks. Career Statistics Personal Life Ryan was born to Jim and Judy Johnson. He has a sister named Sarah and two older brothers: Corey and Greg Johnson (who is a retired hockey player who has played for the Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks and the Nashville Predators). On June 7, 2008, Ryan's father Jim passed away from cancer at the age of 63. On June 20, 2009, he completed a 42.2-kilometre marathon the following year on June 20, 2009, in Duluth, Minnesota, as a tribute. Ryan finished the run in just under four hours at three hours, 59 minutes and 52 seconds. Category:1976 births Category:Beast of New Haven players Category:Canadian ice hockey centres Category:Carolina Monarchs players Category:Chicago Blackhawks players Category:Florida Panthers draft picks Category:Florida Panthers players Category:Ice hockey people from Ontario Category:Living people Category:Missouri River Otters players Category:North Dakota Fighting Sioux men's ice hockey players Category:People from Thunder Bay Category:Rockford IceHogs (AHL) players Category:St. Louis Blues players Category:Tampa Bay Lightning players Category:Vancouver Canucks players Category:University of North Dakota men's ice hockey players